Why 1.6 Billion Bullets? Because Government Wants to Save You Money, Of Course

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Authoritarian government agencies stocking up on ammunition to get bulk discounts, not to wage war.

Aaron Dykes
Infowars.com
February 15, 2013

Bullets, Purchased by the Billions by Government Agencies

Homeland Security and other government agencies have stocked up, buying more than 1.6 billion bullets (and counting) in recent months. That’s enough ammo for five bullets per head in the American population. The astounding purchase records are admitted fact, but the question is Why?

The Associated Press addressed the question, noting the subject as a hot topic on the Internet and among ‘conspiracy theorists.’ The news agency quoted Alex Jones, writing,

“Published federal notices about the ammo buy have agitated conspiracy theorists since the fall. That’s when conservative radio host Alex Jones spoke of an “arms race against the American people” and said the government was “gearing up for total collapse, they’re gearing up for huge wars.”

But according to the AP, the real reason, at least the explanation given by government officials, is far “less sinister.” It’s about nothing more than saving money.

Homeland Security and other government agencies are just using large quantity buys to bring down costs. Pre-purchasing extra ammo in bulk, supposedly being used for law enforcement training, gives discount prices. According to the AP:

Federal solicitations to buy the bullets are known as “strategic sourcing contracts,” which help the government get a low price for a big purchase, says Peggy Dixon, spokeswoman for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Ga . The training center and others like it run by the Homeland Security Department use as many as 15 million rounds every year, mostly on shooting ranges and in training exercises.

Dixon said one of the contracts would allow Homeland Security to buy up to 750 million rounds of ammunition over the next five years for its training facilities. The rounds are used for basic and advanced law enforcement training for federal law enforcement agencies under the department’s umbrella. The facilities also offer firearms training to tens of thousands of federal law enforcement officers. More than 90 federal agencies and 70,000 agents and officers used the department’s training center last year.

Agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are also purchasing bullets, despite lax border enforcement and plans to legalize tens of millions of immigrants living in the country without documented status.

However, Infowars reporters, including Paul Joseph Watson, have noted the alignment of mass quantity bullet purchases with government contingency plans for containing civil unrest in the event of economic collapse, mass-scale terrorism, civil war or widespread natural disaster. Any one of these scenarios could destabilize society, but government would have enough ammunition to wage a 30-year war against Americans, or presumably, to keep the population in line under martial law occupation.

Moreover, researchers and analysts have pointed out that record gun sales under Obama, particularly in the wake of his post-Sandy Hook gun control maneuvers, are “maxing out” production of both guns and ammo.